Page:Ballantyne--The Battery and the Boiler.djvu/179

 the kick on his shins. He, delivering a cry of pain straight into Sam Shipton's ear, caused that youth to fling out his fist, which fell on Stumps's nose, and thus in rapid succession were the sleepers roused effectually to a full sense of their condition.

"It 's cold," remarked Stumps, with chattering teeth.

"You should be thankful that you 're alive to feel the cold, you ungrateful creetur," said Slagg.

"I am thankful, Jim," returned the other humbly, as he sought to undo the rope that held him fast; "but you know a feller can scarcely express thanks or—or—otherwise half asleep, an' his teeth goin' like a pair o' nut-crackers."

"The wind is evidently down," remarked Sam, who had already undone his lashings. "Here, Robin, help me to untie this corner of the sail. I had no idea that sleeping with one's side in a pool of water would make one so cold and stiff."

"If it had bin a pool, Mr. Shipton," said Slagg, "it wouldn't have made you cold; 'cause why? you'd have made it warm. But it was the sea washin' out and in fresh that kep' the temperater low—d'ee see?"

"What a cargo o' rheumatiz we 've been a-layin' in this night for old age," said Stumps ruefully, as he rubbed his left shoulder.